I was just wondering to myself the other day (too much free time i guess 
), What are the cheaper eastern european countries like to live in? Standard of living etc? I hazard a guess that theres less of a “rat-race” mentality?
Would it be worthwhile buying property in Poland for example?
Bob whats bulgaria like? All the eastern euro drivers ive met seem happy enough... I know they earn less but they obviously spend a lot less too. Im not being “anti” either before we get the usual slanging match scenario 
I was very tempted by a house in Yugoslavia, this was before the war and before every man and his dog joined Europe. Within 10 years it will be too expensive to live in Poland or Hungary for the locals, never mind us.
Perhaps a very good reason to buy in the ‘new east’ now. In 10 years when they’ve been dragged up nearer to Western levels property will be worth a whole lot more.
Even here I see this happening. I live in an area which has always been sparsely populated with comparatively little work and bought for absolutely silly prices 13 years ago and now is worth (partly because of improvements) between ten and fifteen times as much. No use to me of course because I have no intentions of ever leaving here.
Salut, David.
My wife is from Republic of Srpska (Serbia) and whenever we are visiting (2-3 times per year) I always come away with the thought that I could happily live there; the standard of living is fine, the cost of living is great and best of all, I could just sell up everything now and combined with a previous jobs pension that is paying now, live there quite comfortably.
We looked at Montenegro before; it is the ‘new’ Croatia but you’ll have to be quick as the prices are going up (lots) already.
a friend of mine in germany is planning to retire to brazil where on his pension he will be considered quite wealthy by their standards.
he got married there earlier this year (laready married to a brazilian in germany), her family couldn’t afford to fly to germany for the wedding so they decided to get married in brazil so that her family could enjoy a wedding ceremony.
the brazilian do was fantastic, they had a big mansion, servants, rooms for all of the guests, the food was a real banquet etc.
the do in germany was similar to our registry office affair with a small party afterwards and cost more than the do in brazil (without the flight cost of course).
funny you should bring this up though jb, i had been thinking along the same lines, not to live but perhaps to buy property etc. maybe even some sort of business venture.
my wife isn’t into it though so it will probably just remain an idea, euro meddlers puts her off remaining anywhere this side of the planet.
Would it be worthwhile buying property in Poland for example?
Absolutely, definately!
Or Bulgaria, or Croatia, or Montenegro.
I drove over to Poland in February with a friend who brought a house in Jelenia Gora, about an hours drive from the German border. He sold his print business over here and him and his wife live very comfortable out there. Their house cost just over £40,000 and its a nice sized detached place.
He came back about a month ago a said its even cheaper out there than they had planned and that things are going great. I brought a complete home cinema system when there for £50 from Tesco. (Which also sold car tyres!!)
The only problem was that he had to sell his right hand drive car as you cant do over 40mph in them over there.
Plus the girls are very nice. 
If you want any info JB let me know and I will try and find out from him.
My wife is from Lodz (pronouned Wudge) in Poland and we flew via Ryanair for a 10 day holiday last month.
I went there with an open mind, and can honestly say I fell totally in love with the place.
YES it is grey, YES it is rough in places.
But never did we see gangs of out of control youths on street corners and never did we ever feel physically threatened.
What a lovely lovely place.
I would love to know of any UK outfit which sends 18t vehicles over to Poland as I would deeply deeply love to work for them.
I am currently working as a Class 2 driver here in boring Nottingham and cant stop thinking about ways of moving to or working in Lodz.
Can anyone help !!!■■
Poland is lovely and so are Polish people which is why I get so peed off at the constant abuse they have to put up with on this BB by British morons.
Dito,so Everyone in Poland is nice and the moon is full of cream cheese,bull.
Where abouts in Poland did you go?
did you pair see the bit that says “not the usal slanging match scenario”■■ on my original post??
I have no interest in a “poles are great/ poles are the devil in disguise” argument… its been done to death
And “she who must be obeyed” wont move so i`m stopping on this poxy island a bit longer yet
I’m with you Harry, nowt wrong with the Poles and some day soon I’m going to visit.
Don’t mind Froggy, he’s an embittered ex-pat who thinks all the world’s troubles are caused by people moving countries 
.
Excepting himself of course
Salut, David.
JB:
And “she who must be obeyed” wont move so i`m stopping on this poxy island a bit longer yet
Yes but, be fair, it is Mansfield 
Salut, David.
Harry Monk:
Where abouts in Poland did you go?
We went to the wife’s hometown of Lodz, which is in central Poland
Cheers
Martyn
froggy:
Dito,so Everyone in Poland is nice and the moon is full of cream cheese,bull.
Nice attitude !!
I moved to Spain 3yrs ago and i cant find a job hv1 for love or money the only work is removals or building,and ever day i see Poles Czechs Romanians here in Spain and im wondering if its possible to work for one of these companies,they all have very good equiment and all are happy so are the wages good and what are they like to work for.
alf apsey:
I moved to Spain 3yrs ago and i cant find a job hv1 for love or money the only work is removals or building,and ever day i see Poles Czechs Romanians here in Spain and im wondering if its possible to work for one of these companies,they all have very good equiment and all are happy so are the wages good and what are they like to work for.
Must say the thought crossed my mind, not for myself but just out of interest, when I heard that Latvia I think it is is now facing a severe labour shortage due to the migration westward.
Salut, David.
Spent alot of time in Croatia during the early 90`s, down on the “Makarska Riviera”, between Split and Dubrovnik. A beautiful part of the world, cheap cost of living, fantastic climate and beaches…and the people wernt so bad either!!
Property there is still “affordable” but I understand that if you are not a Croatian national or related to one then you have to form a company and the company then buys/owns the property…all said and done I would definatly live there.
The lvs pls etc are paid EE wages,look at the drivers(like I did to day in Spain)they are a load of young guys still a little wet behined the ears,after all why are there some many in the UK…[zb]
Edited to remove personal attack. Coffeeholic.